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Influenza is putting an enormous strain on healthcare systems across the country, with the peak of the winter flu season just ahead. Despite a fairly average number of cases, hospitalisations are surging rapidly, which experts are blaming on dwindling vaccination rates.

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00:00With cases rising and vaccination rates at troubling lows,
00:06this year's flu season is putting Australia's hospitals under severe pressure.
00:11We're seeing a surge in influenza cases around the country
00:14with a 50% increase in hospital admissions in the past two weeks.
00:19WA and the ACT are on track for one of their worst flu seasons in years,
00:24while the spike in cases is making ambulance ramping worse in South Australia.
00:29In Queensland, the government had to pause elective surgeries.
00:33We've had a very high number of admissions, 250 people in Queensland hospitals with the flu,
00:38and that just simply is too much for us.
00:4090% were unvaccinated and we need to fix that.
00:43Experts believe the Northern Territory may be worst affected of all,
00:47while New South Wales and Victoria say they're prepared for what's to come.
00:52Unlike in Queensland, here in Victoria we've continued to be able to deliver full services
00:58to the people of Victoria.
00:59A winter rise in flu cases is hardly unusual, but concerningly,
01:04less than 30% of eligible Australians have had their flu vaccination this year.
01:09Vaccination rates have been on the decline, particularly amongst the young.
01:13In 2022, 34% of children aged six months to five years had a flu shot.
01:19So far in 2025, just 22%.
01:23For five to 15 year olds, it was 23% in 2022, just 13% now.
01:29Young children are more likely to be hospitalised if they get influenza.
01:35So I think that immunising them, it's free under the National Immunisation Program.
01:41Cost, an easy barrier to remove.
01:44Complacency and misinformation is proving harder to combat.
01:48Get your information from reputable sources.
01:50The federal government, state government, your GP, pharmacist, all fantastic resources.
01:54And with the peak of the flu season nearly upon us, it's not too late to get vaccinated.
01:59That's too late to get vaccinated.

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